DEAN TULLSEN
Welome to my astrophotography page! I hope you enjoy some of the pictures. I've separated the pictures (except for the "latest" pictures right below) into Messier objects and non-Messier, which is unusual for astrophotographers. I did this because in 2021 I set out to do a photographic log of the 110 Messier objects in a single year, so that part of the page is largely a chronicle of that quest. For astro or other photographers, I have tagged each picture with some of the capture details -- if those notes aren't obvious, there is a description of my equipment at the end that should decipher those.
In early 2021, with very little experience in astrophotography, I decided to compile a complete visual record of the 110 Messier objects. The Messier objects are an important benchmark for visual astronomers, but less so for astrophotographers as many of the most important photography objects are not included, and many of the included objects are not highly photogenic. It is a milestone for visual astronomers to see all the Messier objects in one night. I will never do that, but I like the competitive spirit of it, so I decided there should be such a thing as a Messier Photographic Marathon (MPM), which should also have a time limit, and I set 1 year as the goal (it has to be long enough for each object to be visible in the night sky, and 1 year gives you no second chances -- you have to get it before it disappears til next year).
For me, my MPM began 1/17/21 and ended 10/12/21. But you will find many more recent photos listed here, because I continue to replace them with better pictures when I can. But many of the originals remain and many are quite bad -- it will take a long time to replace them all with quality pictures.
Deeper Background. Charles Messier was a French comet hunter of the mid to late 1700s, who, tired of being confused by all the things in the sky that looked like comets but were not, compiled a list of 110 bright, fuzzy objects and their exact locations. He then published that list for the benefit of other comet hunters. This list has endured long past the age of comet hunters, as the primary list of the most accessible "not just a star" objects in the sky (at least for Northern Hemisphere observers who see the same part of the sky). It is primarily made up of nebula, galaxies, and star clusters.
I've used a variety of equipment over the years, as reflected by the photos above. Below I list my current equipment, and other equipment that might be referenced in the images above.